Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

This beautiful book, with more than one hundred instructive illustrations, is revolutionary in its approach because:

It leads the cook infallibly from the buying and handling of raw ingredients, through each essential step of a recipe, to the final creation of a delicate confection.

It breaks down the classic cuisine into a logical sequence of themes and variations rather than presenting an endless and diffuse catalogue of recipes; the focus is on key recipes that form the backbone of French cookery and lend themselves to an infinite number of elaborations — bound to increase anyone’s culinary repertoire.

It adapts classical techniques, wherever possible, to modern American conveniences.

It shows Americans how to buy products, from any supermarket in the U.S.A., that reproduce the exact taste and texture of the French ingredients: equivalent meat cuts, for example; the right beans for a cassoulet; the appropriate fish and shellfish for a bouillabaisse.

It offers suggestions for just the right accompaniment to each dish, including proper wines.

Since there has never been a book as instructive and as workable as Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the techniques learned here can be applied to recipes in all other French cookbooks, making them infinitely more usable. In compiling the secrets of famous cordons bleus, the authors have produced a magnificent volume that is sure to find the place of honor in every kitchen in America.

Review:

"Has it really been 40 years since Julia Child rescued Americans from dreary casseroles?....Child herself says in the introduction, 'If you can read, you can cook.'" Entertainment Weekly

Synopsis:

Mastering The Art of French Cooking is for both seasoned cooks and beginners who love good food and long to reproduce at home the savory delights of the classic cuisine, from the historic Gallic masterpieces to the seemingly artless perfection of a dish of spring- green peas. This beautiful book, with more than 100 instructive illustrations, is revolutionary in its approach.

Synopsis:

The only cookbook that explains how to create authentic French dishes in American kitchens with American foods. Teaches the key techniques of French cooking, permitting many variations on a theme. Over 100 instructive drawings.

About the Author

Before celebrity chefs like Emeril and Nigella came onto the culinary scene, Julia Child was teaching America how to flambe. When her groundbreaking television program, The French Chef, came into our kitchens, thousands of viewers tuned in to watch Julia flip crepes, blanch beans, and sear steaks, and to hear her signature sign-off: "Bon appetit!"

What Our Readers Are Saying

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

mari, August 13, 2009 (view all comments by mari)
Thank God for Julia Child. I'm not a cook, but I intend to learn. I can follow a recipe, but it would be near impossible to follow a French recipe in the original--even though I can read French. Looking forward to learning from the master. As a child, I watched Julia on tv--she was entertaining, but I never expected to learn how to cook.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(6 of 11 readers found this comment helpful)

smapes, July 10, 2009 (view all comments by smapes)
Julia Child had me "hooked" the first time I viewed her Educational Television show of the 1960's, "The French Chef" when I was barely a teenager. There was something very exciting to me to see her passion for cooking and the wonderful dishes she made. I think her appeal was that she made me believe that I could do the same thing. But it wasn't until about 7 years ago that I finally bought her classic "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".

I spent the first couple of years simply reading the book. There's a lot one can learn from it about cooking vocabulary and technique even if one never cracks an egg. I finally mustered the courage to try my hand at one of her recipes. I chose to make a triple batch of "Boeuf Bourguignon" (Beef Stew in Red Wine, with Bacon, Onions, and Mushrooms - page 315) for a large crowd. The most difficult thing for me at that time was preparing the sheer quantity of the ingredients for a triple batch. But her actual recipe is a masterpiece in simplicity and my kitchen never smelled so good. Nearly every guest wanted my recipe and when I told them it was Julia's they were impressed but proclaimed that they could never cook like Julia. I assured them that if I could do it, they could too. Julia should be proud since she made a believer of me in my ability to cook wonderfully delicious meals. I have since made many of the classic recipes in Volume One and I have yet to be disappointed. This book belongs on the shelf of every interested cook, whether a beginner or a seasoned chef.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No(38 of 42 readers found this comment helpful)

"Review"
by Entertainment Weekly,
"Has it really been 40 years since Julia Child rescued Americans from dreary casseroles?....Child herself says in the introduction, 'If you can read, you can cook.'"

"Synopsis"
by Ingram,
Mastering The Art of French Cooking is for both seasoned cooks and beginners who love good food and long to reproduce at home the savory delights of the classic cuisine, from the historic Gallic masterpieces to the seemingly artless perfection of a dish of spring- green peas. This beautiful book, with more than 100 instructive illustrations, is revolutionary in its approach.

"Synopsis"
by Random,
The only cookbook that explains how to create authentic French dishes in American kitchens with American foods. Teaches the key techniques of French cooking, permitting many variations on a theme. Over 100 instructive drawings.

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